Road Trip
by midnight-show
Summary: The rift rider has been rebuilt. Jak's invited everyone on a 'road trip'. Will Jak take his place as Mar when the time comes?


Road Trip  
A fic by midnight-show

Disclaimer: I don't own these. No point in saying anything else, ne?

Chapter 1

* * *

Two girls stood side by side, watching with wide eyes. Jak, shirtless, and Daxter, running around at his pal's feet. Oh, it was heaven for these girls. 

The one on the right had medium-dark green and blue hair, and sea-green eyes that shone in her happiness. Around her neck she had a pair of loose goggles, used when she was busy with her mechanical work. A small white sleeveless top she wore, that sat snug around her breasts, with an orange-red base. With that she wore a very low-fitting pair of purple and pink-ish three-quarters, and a pair of red boots.

Keira. One of Jak's life-long friends. She had cared for Jak as a friend at first, and then they had both grown and matured and come to like each other. There were two times where they had come close to kissing, but Daxter had somehow interrupted them.

Standing left of Keira was the taller girl of the two. She had flaming red hair, which was pulled back into perfectly neat dreadlocks. Dark grey tattoos adorned her face and parts of her ears, which showed her loyalty to the Krimzon Guard. Her green eyes were looking around the area slowly, for no apparent reason. She was a hard person to keep patient. She wore a dark red, almost blood coloured top, but over that she had her KG jacket. It was a navy blue, and the sleeves went all the way down to her hands, so there were things resembling gloves on the end. In Keira's opinion, the pants that Ashelin wore had appeared to have come in contact with a shredding machine, because there were slits right down the outside of the pants legs. Very fitting for a woman like her.

Ashelin was a relatively new acquaintance of Jak. They hadn't met too long ago, but they had become friendly quickly. She almost always carried a gun with her and was ready for anything. Even jealous girls like Keira.

Keira stole glances at Ashelin every so often. She had grown very weary of this ex-KG woman, and her flirty ways with Jak, it drove her insane!

"Jak!"

Jak glanced up at Keira, who had just spoken. She smirked and stepped forward towards him. "I was just wondering…" She started. "…If you would be done repairing that soon?"

He smiled at her, and shrugged. Ashelin glared at Keira, who hadn't noticed the glare at all.

"I don't know yet, Keira. It may take a couple of days. Why don't you and Ashelin go and hang out with Tess at the Naughty Ottsel?"

At the sound of 'Tess' and 'the Naughty Ottsel', Daxter's head snapped up, and he was already running past the two girls towards the waterfront.

"Well, that's sorted out Daxter's day." Ashelin said with a smug look on her face. "When we get there he'll be lying on the bar counter, drooling all over Tess."

Keira couldn't help but giggle at that – even though in a lot of ways she resented Ashelin, she was right when it came to those kinds of things.

"Well, I don't see why we can't go to the Naughty Ottsel." Keira said, standing straight. "Ashelin, would you like to come with me?"

Ashelin groaned inside – she really wanted to try and talk to Jak without Keira hanging around. "Well, sure. What I was planning on doing can wait until later."

Keira smiled at Jak, glared in Ashelin's direction, and headed away from the racing garage. Ashelin shrugged, waved at Jak, and followed.

* * *

Keira walked along the pathway away from the Stadium with a little skip in her step. She was really cheerful. Behind her, Ashelin warily followed her – watching her, to see if she was going to try anything silly. 

"Why are you so happy?" Ashelin asked, although no matter how hard she tried to sound happy, her tone came out angered and miserable.

"Aah, nothing that concerns you." She flared. "I'm just happy. If you want Jak that bad, miss big-chest, you may have him. I have a beau of my own."

Ashelin stared at Keira; hate steaming out of her like exhaled air. "Miss big-chest, is it?" She asked, insulted.

Keira nodded. "Yes. As I'll have you know, I'll tell you who my new beau is seems you nagged me so much into it."

"What?" Ashelin shouted. "I hardly nagged…"

"His name is Errol."

Ashelin frowned. Errol was one of her more… leisured co-workers in the KG, and was known among the Guard to have his little affairs with women that he'd lead along, and then leave hanging.

As much as Ashelin felt discomfort towards Keira, maybe she thought she could help Keira untangle herself from Errol's web of lies.

"Keira…"

The younger girl stopped all of a sudden, and turned on her heel. "Yes?"

"As much as we may not like each other, there's something I must tell you about Errol…"

Keira laughed. "I'm perfectly aware of all of Errol's old flings. He told me about them himself, and he told me that he was serious about me."

Keira was glowing at that statement, and Ashelin couldn't help but smile. "Fine. If you seem to think that, then fine."

Ashelin walked on ahead in front of Keira, and Keira couldn't help but wonder why Ashelin was so snappy at her.

* * *

Ashelin was right – as she opened the door to the Naughty Ottsel, she could see Daxter lounged on the counter, eyes for Tess only. He was watching her every movement. 

'_Just bring on the drooling.'_ Ashelin thought softly as she took a seat at the counter next to Daxter.

"So what are you doing?" Ashelin asked, tapping the small animal on the shoulder.

Daxter snapped back at Ashelin, "Ssssh, I'm watching Tess make a drink."

'_Captivated by her.'_

"Sorry." Ashelin garbled, just as the door to the tavern opened and Keira waltzed in.

"I'm here!" She announced, flopping down onto a seat near the front.

"Welcome." Ashelin said dryly. "Glad you could make it."

"Well, excuse me for being an early-bird like Miss big-chest here."

Ashelin turned away from the tedious girl, and shrugged the remarks away. Even though they didn't worry her or anything, the younger girl was starting to wind her up.

Tess looked down at Ashelin, who appeared deep in thought. "Do you want a drink?"

Ashelin looked at Tess for a moment, before registering what she said. "No, thanks. I don't drink as a rule."

"Oh, that's a shame." Tess smiled. "So, how's your love life?"

Ashelin thought. Tess wiped a glass and filled it with a nice aromatic Shandy, and placed it in front of Ashelin.

"I said I didn't want a drink."

"Come off it!" Tess cried, smirking at her friend. "I've always done this and you've always taken the drink in the end."

Ashelin smiled, and looked at Tess. "You're right," She said, picking up the glass that was full with a mix of beer and lemonade. She took a sip and shuddered. "Mmm, Shandy, my favourite."

Tess smiled. "See, there you have it."

Ashelin sat there for a moment, as Tess walked away to serve another customer, and rubbed the back of her neck. The machine that Jak was working on was supposed to take them into the past… back to his own time, where he lived and grew up. Keira had helped him make it, and now he was just finishing it off.

Jak had invited everyone along to his time – to go with him… Keira, Daxter and Samos, of course, Ashelin, Tess, and Errol were also invited. Ashelin frowned at this. Keira had invited Errol along, so he HAD to come.

Ashelin took another sip of her Shandy. Now it tasted bitter. She looked around to make sure no-one was looking, and then tipped it into a bowl of someone's soup that lay waiting for them.

"Tomato Soup!" Tess called, coming back over to where Ashelin was and pushing the bowl to the edge of the counter.

Guilt wracked her as a young girl ran up to the counter and steadily took the bowl to the table where she was sitting with her parents.

"It's finished!"

Ashelin, Keira, and Tess all looked up to the doorway, where Jak was standing, holding the door open.

"I've finished the Rift Rider!"

* * *

There! Chapter one is done! Some positive feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks! 


End file.
